Hydro-pneumatic accumulator



April 26, 1955 T. HARRIS 2,707,002

HYDRO-PNEUMATIC AccuMuLAToR Filed Aug. 30, 1952 g l g I l 1| v` m`/ /0 "TUGS /0 AccuMgL/rog not? MOTOR 6"/ 32 0 ggg f CHE/CEVALVE me 29 IJNLonDINcvLvE M 20 34 M 36 Nm /9 Resenvom /f 25 f l Pump 7].

)EY/@MMM ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Otilce 2,707,002

Patented Apr. 26, 1955 l 2707002 5 fipoiydieo?filiaal?.i vlviiirligssiii HYDROPNEUMATIC ACCUMULATOR through conduit 19 relief valve 20,. unloa ing valve was Harris Warwick R I ihind duilai .-zcnlleodiiislsii eli Application Augusta, 1952 ses No- 301,348 .o agotada ainsi."aiaiaaessifauaa? 1 Claim. (Cl. 138-31) mullator is connected to the system through conduit 27 This application relates to an accumulator more parl at its opposite end to an air pump 31 by means of eonticularly of the type for receiving a liquid in one end to duit 32 having a'check valve 33 therein and shut-o if 34.

.ecrease a volume of gas held at the other end and thus .gauge 35 indicates the pressure in the conduit 32, incrlase the gas pressure until a pressure balance is w ile a motor 36 serves to operate the air pump until reac ed.

In hydraulic systems it is usual to use an accumulator be maintained in the system.

to alance the pressures or absorb Huctuations of pressure e accumulator about which this invention centers, due to changes in volume. i The rubber bag type is frecomprises a cylindrical body 37 having a uniform internal quent and comprises an air inflatable bag in the accumudiameter 38 throughout its extent. It is threaded as at lator which is contacted y the surrounding liquid. In 39 at one end and 40 at the other end on its outer surface phragm type of accumulator has been used. In this portion 43 which is of a radius substantially the radius of type of accumulator where there is a constant ilexing of the circular surface 38 A recess 4 is provided in each ru ber or some similar material wear from friction or of these caps from which recess there leads the liquid atigue from ilexure ultimately causes failure, and the entrance opening 45 in the cap 42 and the air entrance liquid and gas become mixed and the device completely 30 Opening 46 in The Cap 41- A Sphere 47 has il Solid metal inoperative.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an material such as Neoprene or some rubber-like material, accumulator of extreme simplicity and inexpensive to which will be resistant to the liquid such as oil which manufacture. will be used in the system. As the ball is forced avainst Another object of the invention is to provide an accua seat 43, increased pressure tends to move the sphere mulator which will have a long-wearing life and conseout of its true spherical position causing a deformation quently one which will not fail because of friction on which more tightly binds against the surface of the some certain part or fail from fatigue. tubular diameter 38 or the surface 43 of one of the caps Anot er object of this invention is to provide a device against which it is forced. wherein the moving part will distribute its wear over an It is known that the pressure times the volume of the extended surface and thus extend the life of the device. gas is a constant, and accordingly as the volume of the More specically the arrangement comprises a sphere liquid, which is non-compressible, changes to decrease the for separating the liquid and gas, which has a deformable volume of the gas, the pressure of the gas increases until surface which will cause a seal along an elongated cylequilibrium is established. This pressure also will affect inder allowing the sphere to move along the cylinder to the resilient wall of the sphere o cause it to deform and compensate for the change in volume of the liquid and have a tight seal at any position of its extent of movethus by such movement vary the pressure of the gas 4in nient. The recesses 44 in the caps increase the area the cylinder. The ball in effect floats, thus rotating and over which the pressure acts to cause the same to become presenting an extended surface throughout its spherical more effective upon the sphere in its initial movement extent to contact the cylinder and wear therewith. from the cap.

it t ese and other objects in view, the invention ii intermittent duty systems an accumulator permits a consists of certain novel features of construction as will large saving in horsepower requirements of the power e more fully described and particularly pointed out in units A typical example of suc saving is demonstrated the appended claim. in the diagrammatic layout shown herein. In systems n the accompanying drawings: of tliis nature where it is desirable to have the pump igure l is a diagrammatic view illustrating a system in running continuously, an accumulator unloading valve which the accumulator, which is the subject of this i'ncircuit is to be used. This diagrammatic showing invention, is located; and corporates a pilot operated unloading Valve in conjuncigure 2 is a sectional -View of the accumulator. tion with an accumulator. The valve serves two distinct In proceeding with this invention, provide a liolfunctionsi 1) to maintain the required pressure in the entrance for the liquid at one end and an entrance :for circulating it back to the reservoir. When the system gas at the other end. A sphere or ball fits snugly within pressure attains the higher pressure setting of the unru er, Neoprene or like material which is resilient almost zero pressure to the reservoir beyond the valve by means of being coated with one of these materials, pressures maintained by the check valve and accumulator t e sphere being of a diameter when unconned slightly en because of system operations the pressure falls to larger than the diameter of the cylinder but when in the the lower pressure setting of the unloading valve (genercylinder being slightly deformed so as to firmly engage the 7 0 ally l0 to 20 per cent of the maximum working pressure), walls thereo As pressure is applied to the ball, it moves t e valve closes and the pump recharges the accumulator to one end or the other against one of the caps and he size ofthe accumulator determines the time interval further tends to enlarge diametrically by reason of the etween the loading and unloading cycles pressure applied so as to provide a tight seal between the mmediate power is always available in such a circuit iquid and t e gas. y maintaining air in one end of W ere multiple operations are to be performed serious t e cylinder under a desire pressure, this pressure will pressure losses from the excessive demands on the pum throughout the entire system. relief v alve circuits.

In Figure l there is diagrammaticaly shown a uid I claim: system which comprises an actuator designated generally A iluid separator comprising a hollow tubular cylinder internal diameter, closure caps at the opposite ends of the cylinder, means providing a uid entrance at each end of said hollow cylinder, a sphere between said entrances having an inner rigid core and a separate deformable and resilient outer covering completely enclosing the core with its outer resilient surface normally of a size greater than said internal diameter of said cylinder and held in said cylinder under deformation by displacement of the covering against the inner provide a seal between the sphere and the cylinder surfaces to maintain the fluids entering at the opposite ends separated.

of substantially uniform References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Great Britain Great Brltam Nov. 29, 1928 Apr. 17, 1932 July 4, 1939 

